Clothing After Surgery

Faythnme · June 2009

Can any one tell me what they wore after surgery? Just button down shirts? Are you able to lift your arms to put on t shirts or anything? Just curious.

bettysgirl · June 2009

I wore button downs. I MIGHT ould have lifted my arms a little to put on a t-shirt but not easily. I had bought a lot of cute pajamas and lazed around in them. I also had some loose shirts to wear. The biggest thing i enjoyed was having the softee camisole with the pockets to hold the drains.

I used my shower time to bask in the hot water and creep my arms up the shower wall that really loosened it up. If you try to go with anything other than buttons, make sure it is a little loose.

Good Luck

okiegal · July 2009

The first few days I wore some of my dad's button up the front shirts and, of course, pajama's. They were larger around to help hide the drains, but not really large enough as my dad is kind of slim. They were convenient because they opened in front, it was easier to empty the drains.

However, I had chosen to have my hair cut shorter than normal before surgery for ease of styling. That coupled with the "manly shirts" was depressing! So my sister went out shopping and found two fun, very inexpensive, girly and stylish looking blousey smock type tops at K-Mart. I loved them and would recommend purchasing something similarly roomy and femine before surgery. I had drains for 2 and 3 weeks, so being able to "look good" really made a difference to my overall morale. I looked normal, even if I wasn't feeling so normal.

Faythnme · July 2009

Yeah i don't really have many button downs. Rightnow I am wearing the camisole that zips in the front. Since I'm in my own home that's all I am wearing, Just trying to stay comfortable.

CjPA · August 2009

I got a few camisole style tops with thin staps that adjust at Wal Mart and got a short sleeved sweatshirt that zipped up the front. I lived in them for the first 2 weeks. I was able to like bird wing my arms into the camisoles without having to raise my arm.

MarieK · August 2009

I practically live in my Victoria Secret cotton button up front pjs.

But sometimes I do need to get dressed.

I found some shelf bra type camis that I can step into. I got them in a local drug store for $7.99. They are just a lycra cotton blend and I got them in black, white and navy. I had my daughter adjust the straps (slide like bra straps) so that my natural boob wouldn't fall out.

The nice thing about this cami is that it's the right size to hold the light fill foob.

On top of the cami I wear a button up shirt (found some great ones at Walmart - crisp white, dark brown, and brown/black plaid a bit tapered with some front patch pockets), some blousy-type tops (empire type with ties), or tops that I could step into (bat wing stype with gathered necklines). I also picked up a short sleeved sweatshirt type top that zips up at Walmart.

For bottoms I just wore yoga type stretch pants or jeans.

I was lucky to have left the hospital without my drain so I didn't need a storage solution for it.

Beets · December 2009

I highly recommend the clothing that I purchased from www.confidentclothing.com. I had bilateral mast w/TE on the 5th of Nov. and had my drains in for 7 weeks. The comfort of these shirts and that ability to place the drains in the pockets and not have them pinned to me all the time was a lifesaver. The creator of this line of clothing is also a BC survivor and knows firsthand what a pain it is to find comfortable and stylish clothing.

Beets

bodhi · February 2010

This web site has expired . do you know how to get in touch with them?

Kayleigh3483 · May 2010

Personally I found the fancy custom shirts were over priced and not all that helpful -- what worked better for me was men's large cotton button down shirts to hang around the house in and a few women's button down blouses in larger sizes than I normaly wear to go out in. I'm the kind of girl who wouldn't usually go out in sweats, but jeans weren't an option with the TRAM flap so I got a few plain black sweat pants that were decent looking to wear out for the first couple months.

Anonymous · May 2010

Has anyone found a comfortable sports bra that they wore with TE's? I need one that has very good lining or a little padding. I had a NSM and my nipples have the constant "headlight on" look so going braless isn't really an option. Every sports bra I have tried on feels like it is putting too much pressure on the TE's no matter what size I try! I don't know if it's just me or what! I'm not very big (probably small B cup right now) but I just can't find anything comfortable, that hides my nipples and smooth enough to wear under t-shirts and stuff.

Any suggestions out there?

mollyinco · August 2010

try the fun, in style tops with elastic around the neck and bottom, they are super full and bouncy, and very stylish, i wore them all the time, i felt girly and could step in and out of everyone of them , i also wore many zip up hoodies for warmth and ease, but seriously look for fun elastic necked tops, i hate button down shirts and needed something to help me feel pretty, i got so used to stepping into my shirts i actually had to re-train myself to put them on over myhead once i had been released to do so after my surgery!

Carrol2 · August 2010

I am on day 18 since my bilateral surgery (no reconstruction yet) and have been doing the arm raises since shortly after I got home from the hospital, which i recommend you do asap. I get my oncotype results on friday to find out if I need chemo. I wore the button down pjs and still do cause they are super comfy that I got at JCPenney. I also got some button down shirts that I wear, But now I can get tshirts and tank tops on. All my old stuff is pretty big on me now because I was a DD before. I like the stretchy tanks with a zipper hoody the best. I wear my old capri pants no problem not wearing jeans tho I never do in summer. I agree get some pretty things, you would have before the surgery. I agree the very loose elastic necklines help. I also just went to a thrift shop and got some tops to wear while I am flat because once I do reconstruction I wont need them.I feel so thin now without those huge boobs I look forward to wearing some mediums instead of XL. Try to have fun with it. I am 45 and still like to look cute!

Mariposa109 · September 2010

Hi bodhi, I tried to go to that site as well but the correct address is www.confidentclothingcompany.com The shirts are too expensive for me..$89.95 each! so I am looking for other alternatives. Waiting on my insurance to approve me for double MX and immediate DIEP recon, but would like to have everything ready for when I hear back.

CoolBreeze · September 2010

I bought some leggings and big button down shirts and Juicy sweatsuits and Nordstrom rack.

I also had some men's wife beaters I wore to pin drains to. I was wrapped like a mummy so I didn't have to worry about being exposed.

After surgery, I was a little swollen everywhere. I don't know why but I couldn't wear jeans for a week or so. Nobody mentioned that to me but I'm glad I bought the leggings.

It was a little while before I could put a tee shirt on and since I tended to wear tight ones, not a good idea anyway.

I'm a year out from surgery and STILL haven't had my reconstruction. I'm sick of dressing around my unilateral mastectomy. However my reconstruction ends up when I'm naked, as long as I can dress normally again I'll be happy!!!!

Laurie08 · September 2010

I bought a couple of button down shirts, XL. Only wore it once, on the way home from the hospital. I agree the mastectomy bra's with pouches is key to comfort. I wore either really soft pj tops, that I pulled over my head or I had a few maternity t shirts that I wore that left room for the drains without it being tight. (My youngest was only 7 months old at the time.) It didn't hurt to put on the tee's, I just had to go slow for the first week and I was more comfortable in them. Those tops with yoga pants and I was comfy day or night. I also felt ok if someone popped in for a visit, as I wasn't in pj's but felt like I was. I was surprised at how much range of motion I had. I had purchase two pairs of silky pj's as recommended and actually returned them as I never used them. They weren't "me". I was more comfortable wearing what I liked and taking a few minutes to put my arms over my head to get it on and wear it for 24-48 hours then to wear something I thought was uncomfortable that was easy to put on. Hope this makes sense?

Joviangeldeb · September 2010

Hi. I wore my husband's button down extra large shirts. They provided enough room for the drains. and I wore mostly pajama bottoms. I wanted comfort.

loonlover · September 2010

I bought a Softee Two cami and have taken it off just long enough to wash and dry it. It's really soft and snuggly and I'm planning on getting another one soon. Well worth the cost. It's 100% cotton knit with pockets for lightweight breast forms. Everything else I saw was either synthetic fabric or loose cotton. I bought it directly from the manufacturer (Ladiesfirst.com). You can get it with or without the drain pocket. It comes with two fiberfill forms, but I don't like those as well as some I got from the American Cancer Society.

Dustien · February 2018

By The Way... I noticed that this thread hasn't had any comments for quite awhile, but I thought this idea might help someone.

I just had my MRI today and they had a top that was nothing more then a big square, about 5' x 4', with a hole cut in the middle. So I had hubby stop at WalMart and bought one of those large fleezy throws for 10.00, cut it in half and put in the middle of each square. Now I have two very soft and comfy "ponchos" that, with my black sweats, are going to be warm and comfy (seeing as how it's Feb. and cold outside). I'd do the same if it were summer, though I'd probably buy material that was much lighter to make the Ponchos out of.

I plan snipping a triangle off a corner to use to sew each one a pocket.

Surgery next week so I'll come back let you know how comfy they really turn out to be.

Update: VERY COMFY and stylish! Add an infinity scarf to cover the hand cut head holes and they look very in fashionable too! Will be wearing them every trip to the Docs or Mammo...anyplace I need to expose my breasts without undressing! Great just to wear around the house or out. Found safety pinning them on the sides when going out on a windy day helps to cut down on exposing to the whole world.

Clothing After Surgery

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